Hot cap setting machine



' P. A. BEZZERIDE S HOT CAP SETTING MACHINE Filed April 24. 1945 .2Sheets-Sheet 1 ENVENTOR Paul H.15ezzerz'dcs ATTORNEYS Get. 26, 1242. P,BEzzERmEs 2,452,227

HOT CAP SETTING MACHINE Filed April 24, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.Pau Z H .Bezzerides BY MM ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 26, 1948 umr121.)STATES ATENT 2,452,282 AP SET NG .MAQHINE Paul-A. Bezzerides, Orosi,Calif. Application April 24, 194.5 sena No. 590,018"

-1 This invention relates in general to an improve agriculturalimplement.

In particular the invention is directed to, and it is an object toprovide, a setting'rnachine for hot caps or hot tents such as are usedto enclose young plants, .of row crops, to protect the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hot cap setting machinewhich is arranged, with movement along a row crop, to facilitate manualplacement of'the separate hot caps over individual plants in the rows,and to thereafter automatically cover the hold-down flanges of thehotcaps with" soil wherebytoanchor saidcaps in place.

a f r h r Ob e f this i entie i to vide a machine, as in the precedingparagraph, in'which the n lean's employed to cover the holddown flangesof the caps with soil comprises a pair of transversely spaced, powerdriven soil throwingrotors; said rotors being driven in ppositedirections and so as to throw soil laterally inwardly from oppositesides of the row onto said hold-down flanges-of the then in place caps.

A further object of the invention is to produce l li fi @1 814%???9515'? tit 9? and Yet one which will be exceedingly effective forthe purposefor which it is desi ned.

Zliheseobjects are accomplished by means of suchstructure and re-lative'arrangernent of parts as will fullyappearby a perusal of the followin spfi on nd'ele ms.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine in use.

Figure 2 is a top plan of the same.

Figure 3 is a rear end view.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the hot cap setters used withthe machine.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the numeral l indicates the main frame which is open, andrectangular in plan; said main frame being supported, adjacent its rearend and on opposite sides, by inwardly canted rear wheels 2 togetherwith ground engaging, stabilizing skids 3. A hitch 4, adapted forconnection to a tractor, projects from the forward end of the mainframe. a

A trailing frame 5 is pivotally secured at its forward end, for verticalswinging movement,

in connection with attachment brackets 6 at the rear of the main frameI. Counterbalancing springs I connect between upstanding posts on 4Claims. (CL 47-1 2 v the main and trailing frames; wmls the -v'erticalposition of the latteris controlled b y lever B normally but adjustablylatch'e quadrant 9; the levers beingpivotally onnected' to a link Hiwhich in turn-is p'i'vo'ted'to an upstanding lever I i fixed to th'etrailingi fi an'ie I and projecting from substa'i'n'tiali-i the axisthereof. 7 I

A pair of substantially honzonta1;-1ongitu. dinally extending soilthrowing rotors I=Z are ro tatably suspended; in transverselyspaced-relation, beneath the trailing'frame 5 by means er depending endbrackets 13, The rotors Ware parallel to each other and areretated" in opg site directions, turning inwardly and'upwardly ro 't b t m s s wn bthe a ow n F ure 3'; such rotors bein g'drivlen as Willlat'er a p p asThe or 12 n lu a p ra ty'ofoiit d y oj t g l il engag ng fingers it isistantial length. I

Inner and outer protective 'shieldsljl5 and J6 depend alongcorresponding sides 'e'a'cn'rot and terminate short of the groundie s"er ng o re ent. thed t" hr w hi her t a ece ar br th o while the outerhields p otect the one ee? ai retprs- I T tors a e dri en b ineen bith lollem ingarrangement;

Each rotor includes a forwardly projecting stub I shaft H driven by anendless chain and sprocket unit It from a countereshaft-lfl. onthetrailiframe 5; s d ounters/heft it! ext nd nglen i tudina y forwardto connection by beret se ts- 20 with a cross shaft 2| journaledconcentric to the pivotal axis of said trailing frame, whereby thelatter can be vertically adjusted without interfering with the rotordrive means. The cross shaft is driven from the tractor power take-offshaft by a bevel gear and shafting assembly, indicated generally at 22,on the main frame I.

' When the machine is in operation, it is advanced, by the tractor,along a crop row 23 with the rotors on opposite sides thereof; thetrailing frame being adjusted so that the rotor fingers ll dig into theground alongside said row.

A stack of hot caps 24 is disposed on a hori zontal bed 25 on thetrailing frame, and one operator stands on a platform 26 suspended fromthe main frame to one side of center, and adjacent the rear end thereof.A plurality of metallic setters 21, each of which includes a rectangular frame 28 closely conforming in shape vertically to thecaps 24,and a bail 29 connected between the ends of the frame 28, are employedin the cap setting operation as follows:

The setters are disposed, one at a time, on the stack of caps 24 on bed25, and the operator standing on platform 26 grasps each setter by thebail 29 together with the adjacent top portion of the engaged cap 24 inthe stack. Then such bail and engaged cap 24 are lifted by hand anddeposited over a plant 30 in the row 23 along which the machine'ismoving; the caps 24 having outwardly projecting flanges 3| at theirlower edges,

.which flanges extend outwardly beyond the position" as above, and whenthe machine has moved clear thereof, the setters 21 are lifted from thehot caps by one or more operators who then carry said setters forwardlypreparatory to again placingthe same, one at a time, on the stack ofcaps on the machine.

.With the above described machine, hot caps can be placed onrow cropsrapidly and easily; the caps being effectively anchored againstupsetting or loss by wind.

Fromthe foregoing description it will be readily seen that'there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from thejspirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

' Having thus described the invention, the followingjis claimed as newand useful and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

.1. A machine for the purposedescribed comprising a wheel mountedvertically open frame, a draft element on the frame by which it may bedrawn along the ground, a platform connected with the frame adjacent oneend thereof and arranged to support a stack of hot caps having outwardlyextending bottom flanges, an operators station supported on the frame ata point closely adjacent the platform whereby an operator at suchstation may grasp and pass a hot cap from the platform to the groundbelow the open frame, and means supported from the frame and operable todeposit soil over the flange of the deposited hot cap as the frame isdrawn along over and beyond the same.

2. A machine for the purpose described comprising a wheel mountedvertically open main frame, a draft element on the main frame by whichit may be drawn along the ground, a trailing frame pivoted to the rearof the main frame for relative vertical swinging movement, means foradjusting the vertical position of the trailing frame relative to themain frame, a platform on the trailer frame arranged to support a stackof hot caps having outwardly extending bottom flanges, an operatorsstation supported on the main frame at a point closely adjacent theplatform whereby an operator at such station may grasp and pass a hotcap from the platform to the ground below the frame, and means supportedfrom the trailing frame and operable to deposit soil over the flange ofthe deposited hot cap as the trailer frame is drawn over the same.

3. A machine as in claim 2 in which the last named means comprises apair of longitudinally extending soil engaging rotors suspended from thetrailing frame in transversely spaced relation whereby to pass onopposite sides of the cap, driving gear mechanism mounted on the framesand connected with the rotors in driving relation therewith, suchmechanism including means for connecting the same with a source ofdriving power.

4. A machine as in claim 3 including shields supported from the trailingframe and depending along opposite sides of each rotor and terminatingadjacent but short of the ground.

. PAUL A. BEZZERIDES.

REFERENCES CITED I The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Mar; 6, 1939

